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Customs House Staker of New Vedania claim they descend from the King of Stakes, infamous for killing his enemies and punishing them by killing his friends and family. His method was Always to stake them through the throat, starting with friends and family while saving the accused for last. A family is notorious for leaving their enemies on the doorstep of their own with a face flayed to the bone, Eyes intact, and the rest of their body untouched. A band of Soldiers, 32nd Aran of Aranor, is infamous for their bloodthirst and sadistic ways. They are rumored to be necrophiliacs, rapers and are general warjapers. They are even feared among their own ranks. The Council of Many Colors of Sakhanadan and its members are rumored to be necromancers due to their black robes, pale skin and foreign languages. In truth they simply wear their ceremonial dresses, are rarely allowed to exit the Palace, and hail from many of the far reaches of the Kingdom. Thoxian and Sakhanadan '''Princes wear their hair long and often style it extravagantly. Highborn warriors of '''Athox, the Silvers, shave their sides and wear the rest of their hair long in a horsetail. The Theyene has domesticated a type of Iguana as insect Control, and many can be seen Walking with them on their shoulders. People in the villages of the Dîri Passes wear dried flowers and herbs to combat the smell of human waste. Ghowin, while considered one Khendom, consists of many different ethnic groups, all with their own culture and morals. Some wear reindeer hides and antlers, some use wolf pelts and deer hide, some use colored and patterned wool. When a man is set to marry a woman in Merenor he is invited to her home for a dance. There all the women on her side of the family dress up in fine silks and cover their faces in a mask so that only the eyes are visible. They believe that true love makes your eyes shine up when you see your betrothed, and therefore it is important for him to remember her eyes. A crude method of torture/execution is Cleave someone. The accused is placed, face up, on a special table then a cleaver is slowly lowered towards the center of his face.The sheer force will break his skull and quite quickly kill him, but not before suffering tremendous pain. The Heartlanders do know their way around executions. The creation myth of Atmog & Kiros. * 1st Day: Atmog created the fiery core of the world, Kiros created his Underworld Domain. * 2nd Day: Atmog created seas to cool the world and make it habitable, Kiros created storms. Atmog grew tired of his jests and chased him off. * 3rd Day: Atmog created land for his subjects to roam on, Kiros waited. * 4th Day: Atmog created life in the form of plants and trees, Kiros still waited. * 5th Day: Atmog formed beasts, some to eat the plants and some to eat them. Kiros was still waiting. * 6th Day: Atmog creates the first humans and sets them off into the new world, Kiros is growing impatient. * 7th Day: Atmog was tired, and left his creation alone for a while. Kiros infuses the humans with feelings of greed, lust and anger. Much of the civilized world owes its numeric system to the Sakhanadan who invented the common numerals, as well as the 1, 10, 100, 1 000. They invented it solely to keep track of slaves. Due to Deltari women favoring the more handsome and desirable men they have genetically almost eradicated the 'less handsome' males. This has also lead to a disapproval and shunning of those who are regarded as 'less handsome', and mothers are allowed to choose if they want them to live normal lives and probably never mate, or to live their life as slaves. Deltari males are limited to a very few select professions: legionnaires, smiths, fishermen, sailors or courtesans. Once there was a sect within the Sakhanadan Pantheon which had political motives, and would strive farther and farther from their traditional beliefs. Eventually they wanted independence, which the Pantheon naturally didn't grant them. After a failed rebellion the remains of the sect became a band of mercenaries, "The Seventeenth". It's considered impure to love a wife like one would a mistress. The Halen people, while still many different people, still call Har'Kun their true home. Despite following the God of Life they value their assassin branch of government highly. At the top they have a brother and sister, who will marry to seal their joining. Then there are the holy men. Directly below them are the ghishin, the royal assassins who keep the peace in their vast lands. In Aranor you are allowed to steal from another man if you are not caught, then the punishment is severe. The Merenese build temples for their war heroes. Religious Workers and Buildings The True Lord Confessors tend to the Chapels, and holds sermons for the people. The Confessors Honorate is a council of influential Confessors who gather every now and then to discuss matters of the chapel. Their leader is the High Electant Confessorate. Path of the Blind God Wayons preach the words of the Blind God, they have no religious buildings. Atmog Vicons, or Vicanes, are the healers and pilgrims of Atmog, only a few of them reside in the Vicarum, which mainly acts as an orphanage but also a hospital. Serms of the Moon Serims are responsible for tending the Midnight Gardens, as well as offer spiritual guidance to those who seek it. The Sisters act as readers of 'star-signs' and people can come to them to have their future told. The Nocturnum is their main religious building, while there are many Midnight Gardens scattered across Galdegard. Kiros The Kiro'an is the head of the Kiros worshippers, who reside in the Hall of Life and Death. Below him are the Underlords who hold marriages and funerals. There are also the Pale Dancers who act as communicators with Kiros, they dance during funerals and other events. Sakhanaden Pantheon Levants are the men responsible for each district, the Irvants hold sermons and marriages, the Khuns are basically slaves and tend to funerals and act as pilgrims (naturally while heavily guarded). Meiruti Spirits Shaman Theyene Spirit Animals Faith of the Five Mother Trinity of Rift Monk Coraism The Allmother No holy men, only statues depicting the Allmother act as places of private prayers. Unseen Elders Lady of the Lakes Priestess Brotherhood of the Sun Brother, Sister, Old Religion of Essmir No religious men, and no holy buildings. Nature itself is their shrine. Aran Dham Magea Banners, Flags and Standards Fjellmaar, Norlan, New Vedania (The North), League of Kalmar, Galdegard (Northern) Their banners usually depict their Clans ancient ancestor. New Vedania, Lyria, High Heartland, Astrannor, Galdegard (Southern) Their banners usually consist of a symbol or animal that has had great significance to the creator of the House, different variations of blazons are also used to create extravagant emblems. Rift Every noble has their own sigil, which contains no symbols or animals, merely blazons in different patterns. Deltar Different matriarchies have different color on their egis, a permanent bracelet which is made up of different tattoos, burn marks and scars. Aranor, Merenor, Isle of Bones (Northern Coast) The symbolization of their family is a certain pair of colors. Har'arat (Halen), Eldovar, Rhûl, Qoheen, Fahleen The colors and patterns on their Waistcloth carries their families name. Dîri Passes Every clan has its own Mark. Athox (True Thoxians) Different Houses pierce their body in different ways, patterns and use different materials. Morag, Durag, Bloodsworn They use scarification as a kind of symbol of their house. Ghowin, Uldui'it, Children of the Winter Sun, Stormborn, Isle of Bones Dyeing your body and face in different colors determines what clan you belong to. Theye Islands They tattoo their body white in different patterns depending on their tribes spirit animal. Sakhanadan, Athox Different families are only allowed to wear certain colors on their scarfs and dresses. Creatures & Beings Horses * Destrier - expensive, tall, muscular. Used for jousting and by Knights. * Courser - strong, durable, strong psyche. Used for hunting and in war. * Rouncey - pack horse, fast. Used for skirmishes and as pack animal. * Palfrey - beautiful, comfortable and expensive. Used as gifts and by Ladies. * Charger, winterhoof - durable, used to cold weather. Used by Hessarim and Essmir. * Jennet - light, fast, long distance runner. Used in the desert. Ghouls Ghouls who go too long without eating will develop sharp claws and teeth, and pulsating yellow eyes that seem to pop out of their sockets. Eventually they will turn Wild and begin to lose their humanity and begin to look like something else entirely; their bone structure changes so they can easily walk on all fours, perform tigerlike leaps, and climb trees with ease. These Wild Ghouls are what ravages the forests and countrysides of Ghoulia. Heartwood Trees Most believe them to be named for their red, heart-shaped leaves. They are however named for the strange sound they emit if one listens closely by their trunks, it sound almost like a beating heart. The Alderman In Torovir there is a large mythical being called the Alderman who wanders the forest sleeplessly. It seems to act on its own kind of laws of morality; murderers, rapists and thieves are allowed to go about their business in its forests, but should any man be caught poaching, logging, skinning, killing an animal or plant, or bathing in the Alder's Eye lake without its consent it will act out. They say that when you hear the wind howling against the treetops in a still night, you know the Alderman has acted. The Elves of Torovir feared this creature at first, understandably, and attempted to strike fear into it by burning large figurines of fallwood. It seems as if it had the exact opposite effect; the Alderman often came to watch his wicker burning, even with the absence of eyes or sockets you could tell that it was watching the fire closely, almost fascinated by it. Merasto A seemingly ageless prophet who resides in the Auldwood of Artherin Nox. He is said to give aid to all who seeks it from him, be it in the form of good advice or a reading of the future, he seems to think he knows how and when the world will end. Despite his kind behavior and his eagerness to help there is something odd about him, in order to gain something from him you have to tell him something in return, preferably deep and dark secrets. Should he consider the information he gets to be of too little value he gets angered and starts to approach his visitor. His curse is that anything he touches will live forever, but as a tree. Yhuvan, The Woodland Watcher One of the most ancient beings in Evinor, Yhuvan is an entity which resides in forests around the world. People claim they can see his face in the bark and many are terrified to even walk near the forests because they fear they might see him. They say that by seeing him you are certain to die soon. Yespen Klane A seemingly gentle and kind man, whose prominence and prosperity is known far and wide. His dark secret is that in the woods that he own he raises stray children (orphans mostly) to be feral and to live with no contact with modern civilization. The reason for this is to start rumors of wild beasts in the forests so no one dares go near them, save his own men. Lich Liches are the most powerful magicians. To become a lich you have to willingly sacrifice yourself while performing an intense ritual that contains, among other things, eating a whole oxen heart, breaking one of your bones, and being danced around by the Pale Dancers. Marwyn II 'Birdsbane' Melethiel Went down in history as the king who warred all birds. He reconned the birds ate a large portion of the kingdoms crops and declared a Bounty on their heads, which caused an event that saw an aftermath of insect infestations and almost put the kingdom in bankrupcy. Skinchangers To change their appearance they need the fully flayed skin of their intended target and they need to wear it. Then they must be drenched in tar, and have runes carved into their skin Before being ceremonially sacrificed by a dagger through the heart. The Academy Raper An infamous legendary Hexomancer who conducted an experiment where he would rape countless women in order to experiment on their offspring. Redoric Grant, the Mad Priest Born the third son of Lord Ronnel Grant, he chose the path of a Confessor, for he had no wits with neither sword nor spear. As he grew in size and age he also grew in curiosity and cunning, devoting his entire life to the True Lord. He missed his two sisters weddings and one of their funerals, something he deeply regretting till then end. Eventually he rose to the rank of High Electant Confessorate, the highest honor one can be granted for a Confessor, and he was much beloved and saw many years of prosperity. After the death of his mother he changed for the worse, he started seeing enemies everywhere and trusted fewer and fewer of his former friends. After his chaos had endured two long years one of his trusted advisers turned against him, and they were found dead side by side, daggers in each others throats. Some of his deeds: * He declared himself the rightful ruler of High Heartland and had the royal family executed. * He had the natives of Astrannor persecuted, and set a bounty on their heads. * He closed all borders of High Heartland, except for Astrannor, and tore apart all trade deals. * He forced his subjects to visit a Chapel at least once a week, with the penalty of public whipping. * He planned a crusade against Torovir, Har'Kun, and Rift. The Harlot of Humfrey's Hollow Although her real name has been lost to history everyone in High Heartland knows the tale of this "spiritual whore" (a "spiritual whore" was a beautiful woman hired by the church to be called for if men had confessed that they had committed, or were planning on committing, adultery. They would then get a prescription for a night with the whore, without upsetting the True Lord). She saw many men and naturally she would get pregnant many times, none who lived for long though. People said she hanged her children, barely out of the womb, in an old Heartree by a forest. As the years went by she would keep hanging her children, and eventually the tree started to lean towards the side that she would hang them. Eventually she would die under eerie circumstances, leaving behind a small cottage in the woods and no family to tend to it. Although this was a long time ago people claim they still hear the screams of her dying children at night. Eskil Durr A legend among the Fjellings, he was a man said to ride a bear to battle and his weapons were made from entire tree trunks with large boulders attached to them. He was also rumored to be half-giant. According to legend he was the man two freed Fjellmaar from the talons of Norlan and brought an unprecedented age of prosperity. He is also the founder of Clan Durren, for they say thunder struck when he roared. Ellenard Trostane A nobleman sent into exile after killing his brother. One year later a King of the Norwood emerges wearing a Firwood banner, and calling himself the King of Pine and Fir. Locations Kamdún Sakhanadan town. Belogrod Riften city. Axenia Har'arat fort. Ahkitor Sakhanadan outpost/trade town. Axton Lyrian village. Haunted Church Located on the remnants of Old Vedania, people say they begin to feel an awkward chill when approaching these waters and they begin to see and hear strange beings in the mist. Sailors speak of demons, ghosts and walking dead roaming the small island. Hibernating City An ancient city belonging to the dead Old Kingdom of Artherin Nox found a way of coping with the extreme cold winters. The city's walls join with the nearby mountain which protects them from outside forces. When the time has come to hibernate they all enter a cave inside the city gates and seal themselves in from the inside. They keep warm because of the many hot springs inside the caverns, which they have built small rivers for so they provide heat in a larger area. Mysterious Continent Far to the south-west lies a largely unexplored continent where people who have set foot there seem to vanish without a trace of either their crew or their ships. The only person known to have traveled there and lived to tell the tale, returned a shell of his former self. He didn't remember his family or who he was, he had terrible scars and wounds all over his body made by something huge with enormous claws. He rarely spoke but when he did he mostly did it in strange tongues no man in the Known World had heard, and when he did make sense he spoke of giant lizards made of disease, demon apes as large as a carriage, bats that could bite a mans head off, and flying lizards that spat acid. Grey Graves A bog said to have been created due to the countless bloody battles being fought there over the centuries, some call it the meadow of a hundred battles, though this number is more likely closer to a thousand. Most don't pass through the Old Road that leads through the bog due to its inhospitable environment, but those who do claim to hear faint screams and mumbling among the mists. Some say that those who have fallen there never truly died, but remain half rotten in ground waiting for their company to come back for them. ** They live due to an Artherin Necromancer who died while controlling his subjects. In this particular bog lives a parasitic mushroom that is highly aggressive, and when it felt that something died in the bog it quickly penetrated its skin and essentially took control of its body.** Solun A temple of the Sun that was built on and around a small well created by a meteorite that had fallen long ago. The water in this well contains magical properties, and is said to be able to cure internal illnesses, psychological deterioration, and makes one feel content. Living off of this well will keep you healthy and strong, as well as look younger than you are, at the cost of eventually losing all bodily hair. Crone's Cave A cavern by the ocean, located along the shore of Rift, is said to be one of the most common places for suicides and people going mad. They say that when you travel there alone you hear faint whispers telling you grim and sinister tales, and bids you to go further into the cavern. Most who do are never heard from again. It's mostly speculated to be a folk tale, and that the people who disappear there simply drown when they get caught by the tide. Despite what they may think there actually lives a being in there, a monster of the ancient world called a grem. Grems are extremely tall and thin humanoids with white skin, no lips and bloodshot eyes. It lures its victims when they're alone by whispering tales of old, and begging them to come closer until they are within reach. Then they hit their victim over the head with a rock and immediately starts feeding on their flesh, usually while the victim is still alive. Desolace An island that once thrived with civilization that simply died off. Five times did the Lyrians attempt to resettle before deciding it was futile and that the island was cursed, they named it Desolace after that. Emar Hbun One of the first Towns in the Dîri Passes, built inside a Cave and continuing on the outside of the mountain. Waterway Keep A keep that is only accessable by a causeway during low tide. They are infamous for digging condemned criminals all the way but their heads and await high tide. Haunted Castle A castle where a son of a lord got locked inside a brick wall while he was still alive. They say you can still hear him knocking and screaming at night. Morganes Jaw A field of stone pyramids designed to prevent a full scale attack on horseback, directed against the Hessarim. Named after their engineer, Murton Morgane of Greygrass. Karfurag A city within the borders of the Aranese '''Empire where the majority of the ruling elite are dark skinned. They are descendants of slave soldiers who warred during the First Empirical Era when the Sakhanadan Empire ruled supreme of the West. In Athox and Sakhanadan they refer to this band of soldiers as the 'Lost Legion'. Karfurag literally means 'the Free City'. Fantasy '''Redstone is a clay-red stone which emits a strange heat. It's commonly found in the New Vedanian region of Redstone. Blood Magic works usually by either burning the blood or drinking it. Blood which is burnt has different effects depending on what kind of creatures blood it is. Blood is often sold to a sort of blood bank, which consists of a group of alchemists who have vast knowledge in all things regarding purifying, extracting, and using blood in all its forms. These blood banks purify the blood, sometimes mix it, and prepare it for use. Sangea, or lustleaf, is a plant that when chewed increases sexual arousal and causes you to experience more intense orgasms. Necromancy '''is induced when your mother dies while giving birth to you. '''Blood Magic is induced by a baptism in blood and drinking it as well. '''Mind Magic '''is induced by bloodline.